Head harness for breathing apparatus



Oct. 17, 1939. J. B. DYM 2,176,709

HEAD HARNESS FOR BREATHING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES INVENTOR.

M05 4M4W BY 4 ATTpRNEY-r.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 7

J. B. DYM

HEAD HARNESS FOR BREATHING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1936 Oct. 17, 1939.

M ATTORNEYS.

WITNEJSLS WXML.

Patented Oct-'17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE nuAn nAnNEss FOB. BREATHING APPARATUS Joseph B. Dym, Pittsburgh, Pa... assignor'to Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 13, 1936, Serial No. 79,510

This invention relates to breathing apparatus of the type which includes a face-piece, or mask, that covers the face of the wearer, and more particularly to means for retaining the mask in ii protective position over the face.

A gas mask or the like is generally retained in position on the face of the wearer by a plurality of retaining members, such as straps, which are connected at their ends to the rear edges of the mask with their intermediate portions extending around the sides and back of the head. When it is necessary to put on the mask quickly, itis dangerous to spend time in manipulating the various retaining straps into positions where 15 they will feel comfortable and where they will not slip up or down on the head. Furthermore, the movements of the wearer may cause one or more of the straps to slip out of place on the head and permit the mask to become loosened.

. 20 It is among the objects of this invention to provide a. head harness for the masks of breathing apparatus which can be quickly and comfortably positioned on the head, will not slip out of position, can be easily adjusted, and is 25 adapted to hold a mask securely in place at all times. I

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view showing a mask provided with head harness in accordance with this invention applied to the head of a wearer; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the opposite side of the mask and harness; Fig.3 is an elevational view of the rear portion of the harness; Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on an en- 35 larged scale, through one of the buckles; Fig. 5

is a rear view of a modification of the chainspacing element; and Fig. 6 is a vertical crosssection taken on the line VIVI of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,

a face-piece or mask I of any suitable construction is provided on its opposite sides adjacent its rear edges with means, such as integral lugs 2, to which flexible members 3, 3a and there cannected for retaining the mask in position on the face of a wearer. Preferably, the retaining members 3, 3a and 31) take the form of ball chains, although. straps or resilient bands can be used. To give the head harness some resiliency 50 so as to make it more comfortable to wear, one end of each chain is preferably attached to a coil spring 4 (Fig. 2) connected to 8. 111g 2 on one side of the face-piece. The free ends of the chains, at the other side of the face-piece, are

. received by fastening members 5 connected to the two strands of this chain pass.

the lugs on the side of the face-piece, opposite that which carries'springs 4, as shown at Fig. 1. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 4, each fastening member is in the form of a slide buckle which includes a body member 6, providedjwith a U-. 5 shape opening I through which one of the chains slidably extends, and a latch 8 pivotally mounted in a slot 9 formed in one side of the body member. One end of the latch is biased inwardly by a wire spring ii secured to the body member, and projects between adjacent balls of the chain to normally prevent the ':hain from movin backwardly through opening I. By .pressing the outer end of the latch inwardly, its inner end is released from the chain which is then free to be partly or entirely withdrawn from the buckle. It is preferred to form the lower two chains 3a. and 3b from a single length of chain whose ends are attached to separate coil springs d (Fig. 2), whereby a loop 92, Fig. l, is formed between the two lower buckles through which With this arrangement the two lower chains can be adjusted simultaneously by pulling on the loop.

It is also among the features of this invention that the three chains are maintained in predetermined spaced relation so that they do not have to be separately adjusted into proper position on the head. Accordingly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, there is provided a. spacing element, preferably in the form of a cup-like member I3 having side walls it and an outwardly extending'flange I 5. The side walls are provided with three pairs of openings 56 through which the three chains extend in parallel spaced relation, and the open side of the cup faces the mask and is covered by a. cushioning pad, such as a rubber diaphragm I! which can be attached to the cup in any suitable manner. For example, the marginal portion of the pad may be folded inwardly to receive the cup member flange which is. provided with holes it through which the rubber of the pad flows when it is vulcanized thereon, thereby securely bonding the pad inv place.

This spacing element, therefore, not only maintains the chains in predetermined spaced relation so that they take and maintain the proper position on the head when the element is positioned thereon, but it also serves as a comfortable cushion for the chains at the back of the head. As the entire head'harness is positioned by merely placing spacing element I3 in position on the head, and is tightened thereon by merely pulling on loops l2 and the freeend of the upper chain, the mask can be applied quickly without danger of its becoming loose.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a chain-spacing element is shown which is formed for holding an air-purb.

fying canister to which are attached the air hoses (not shown) that lead to the mask. In this construction the outer or rear wall II of the cup-like member 22 is concave in vertical section and is provided atits top and bottom with channels 23 and 24 opening toward flange 26 to which a rubber diaphragm 21 or the like is connected for cushioning purpose. The central portion of a coil spring 28 extends through lower channel 24 in which it is retained by 2. lug 29 secured to that channel, and the ends of the spring are secured to the opposite ends of a rod 3| adapted to be disposed in upper channel 28. An air-purifying canister 32 is held against concave wall 2| by the two end portions of coil spring 28 that partly encircle the canister in which position they are held by placing rod 3! in upper channel 23. This construction is desirable when the wearer is doing work in which a canister in front of his body would interfere with his movements.

A head harness made in accordance with this fortably and securely mounted in protective position over the face without danger of the retaining members slipping out of place and allowing the mask to come loose.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the construction and mode of. use of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

' I claim:

l. A .head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position on the face, comprising a plurality of flemble retaining members connected at one end to one side of the face-piece, fastening means connected to the other side of said face-piece for adjustably receiving the free ends of said retaining members, and a positionmg element carried by the intermediate portions of said retaining members for maintaining them in predetermined spaced relation on the head, said element being provided with a plurality of openings through which said retaining members extend and being slidable along the retaining members. I

2. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position on the face, comprising a plurality of flexible retaining members connected at one end to one side of the facepiece, fastening means connected to the other side of said face-piece for receiving the free ends of said retaining members, a cup-like member having its open side facing the face-piece, and a resilient pad associated with said open side of the cup member for bearing against the head, the side walls of said cup member being provided with spaced pairs of openings through which said retaining members slidably extend.

3. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position on the face, comprising a plurality of coil springs connected at one end to oneside of the face-piece, a chain connected to the other side of said face-piece and in:-

. eluding means for slidably receiving said chains and means for normally holding said chains against backward movement therethrough, and

means slidably carried by all of said chains for 'end to one side of the face-piece, a chain connected at one end to one of said springs, a second chain connected at its opposite ends to the other two springs, said chains being adapted to extend around the head to the other side of the facepiece, three gripping buckles connected to said other side of the face-piece for slidably receiving said first chain and the two strands of said second chain, said buckles being provided with means for normally holding said chains against backward movement therethrough, and means carried by said chains for maintaining them in predetermined spaced relation on the head.

5. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position on the face comprising aplurality of ball chains connected at one end to one side of the face-piece, fastening means for each chain connected to the other side of said face-piece, said means including a holding member provided with an opening for slidably receiving one of said chains, and a spring-biased latch pivotally mounted in said member and prosaid chain for normally holding the chain against backward movement through said holding memher.-

6. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position on the face, comprising aplurality'of flexible retaining members connected at one end. to one side of the facepiece, fastening means connected to. the other side of said face-piece. for adiustably receiving the free ends of said retaining members, a cuplike member having its open side facing the facepiece, a resilient pad associated with said open side of the cup member for bearing against the head, the side walls of said cup member being provided with spaced pairs of openings through which said retaining members extend, and a coil spring connected to said cup member and forming aloop adapted to receive an air-purifying canister and hold it against said cup member.

7. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-apiece in position on the face, comprising a plurality of flexible retaining members permanently connected at one end to one side of the face-piece, fastening means permanently connected to the other side of said face-piece and slidably and adiustably carrying the free end portions of said retaining members, and an independent positioning element slidably carried by the intermediate portions of said retaining members for maintaining them in predetermined spaced relation on the head.

8. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position on the face, comprising a flexible retaining member having its opposite ends permanently connected to one side of the face-piece and extending in two lengths to the opposite side thereof, and a pair of spaced fastening members connected to said opposite side of the face-piece and slidably and adjustably carrying said two lengths of the retaining memher, said retaining member being tightened by connected to said side of the face-piece and thereby forming two strands. three vertically spaced fastening members connected to the opposite side 1 of the face-piece and slidably and adjustably receiving said first retaining member and said two strands, and means carriedby the intermediatev portions of said retaining member for holding them in predetermined spaced. relation.

10. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position over the face, comprising a flexible retaining member connected at one end to one side of said face-piece, a second flexible retaining member having both of its ends connected to said side of the face-piece and thereby forming two strands, three vertically spaced fastening members connected to the opposite side of the face-piece and slidably and ad- I justably receiving said first retaining member and said two strands, and independentmeans slidably mounted on the intermediate portions of said retaining members for holding them in predetermined spaced relation on the head.

11. A head harness for retaining a breathing apparatus face-piece in position over the face comprising a flexible retaining member connected at one end to one side of said face-piece, a second flexible retaining member having both of its ends connected to said side of the face-piece below said first retaining member and thereby forming two strands, three vertically spaced fastening members connected to the opposite side of the face-piece and slidably and adjustably receiving said first retaining member and said two strands, the portion of said second retaining member between its fastening members being adapted to be pulled to tighten said strands simul-. taneously, and means carried by the intermediate portions of said retaining members for holding them in predetermined spaced relation.

Josm a. pm. 

